According to a study conducted by People’s Vigilance Committee for Human Rights, an NGO working for the cause of weavers, 47 weavers committed suicide between 2007 and 2009.

Report

These repeated and frequent summons around elections, especially when cases have been stymied for years, have made many political observers suspicious. “We all know there is little judicial accountability and the big goons know how to use the judges really well,” says Lenin Raghuvanshi, one of the coordinators of UP Election Watch and the executive director of the Benares-based People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. He knows this only too well because a clerk once offered him, in the presence of a judge, the chance of scheduling a court hearing at a lower court for just Rs 10!

Anti Torture Initiative, Anti Violence Initiative, Campaign

Lucknow Declaration

by

Regional Convention

on

26th June, International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

at

Ravindralaya, Lucknow, India

We, the Regional Convention at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in India, desiring that State embodies the aspirations of the People, aver the need for greater efforts for promoting the sovereignty of the People through democratic values and structures based on nonviolence and justice.

We uphold social democracy and economic equity through sustainable development.

We advocate optimum and equitable utilization of resources for the benefit of the people, providing them adequate forum to influence and participate in decisions on natural resource use and management.

We reaffirm the inalienable right of the People of India to basic needs including food, clothing, shelter, health, education, social security and productive work as dignity of labour.

Democracy

We cherish and uphold the Rule of Law, sovereignty of the people, a system of governance that ensures devolution of power, People's right to self rule and control over natural resources.

We advocate full independence of the judiciary, adhering to internationally recognized values and principles. People beneficial lawmaking process has to be participatory, representative and fully transparent.

We believe that People have sovereign rights to take decisions on matters concerning their lives, and urge periodic review of all international commitments and national laws to enable people to exercise sovereignty.

We maintain that governance improvements have to begin and end with the People and that their empowerment can result only when power is devolved through effective structural changes in character of Shraman Culture[i] based on justice, nonviolence and rule of law.

We also maintain that existing social, economic and political imbalances hinder nation-building and that the legislature, executive and the judiciary must be fully accountable to the People.

We uphold the information right to people through participation in decision-making and governance.

To organize a forcein against and oppose the attempt of the Saffron brigade to saffronise the rainbow culture of the country. We strongly support the pluralism of our Nation and are determined not to allow anyone to destroy the pluralistic atmosphere of the country.

Fight State and non-state actors' suppressionon the right to expression with democratic mindset to put them right.

Equal, Secular, Free Compulsory elementary educationis the responsibility of the government and the gimmicks with education should be stopped.

Struggle to enact the anti- torture legislation and to ratify the UN convention against torture by India.

Discrimination

We affirm that discrimination based on gender, caste, creed, religion, ethnicity and disability is a major obstacle to meaningful participation of People in political, economic and social field.

We call for patriarchy-free secular India, and support the individual's right to self-determination and development and uphold their duty to national integration.

Demand laws and their enforcementin regard to bonded labour,child labor , sexual harassment, discrimination based on caste & gender and attack on minority.

We resolve for an immediate and effective end to untouchability, the worst form of discrimination and demand interventions as follows to take in politics:

· Programs for the uplift of the Dalits and mechanisms to empower them for defend their rights.

· Reservations(affirmative action), in public as well as the private sector, to ensure participation of all at all levels starting from primary schooling and across all spheres of life.

· Reservations to enable at least 33% representation of women in all spheres of private and public life.

· Discrimination to be considered a real life problem.
Review of existing laws and modifications to incorporate the implementation of international instruments.

· To implement the recommendation of report of Sachchar' Committee[ii] and Justice RangnathMishra[iii] on Muslim minority.

Food sovereignty

We believe the right to food is a fundamental right and must be assured through guarantees to equality in work, justice, uniform minimum wages and land reform.

We advocate that all aid and trade agreements and legal instruments be subject to public scrutiny to ensure their transparency and accountability.

Campaign, Torture Free Model

Lenin Raghuvanshi of the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), who works in the area, said: "Besides poverty, these people also face police atrocities and administrative apathy. Like Katwaru there are a number of people living in abject poverty in the Maoist-affected districts of Mirzapur, Chandauli and Sonbhadra. Thousands of people have to sleep on empty stomach as they can't arrange for two square meals a day. The monthly income of a number of BPL families is less than Rs 250."

How we work!!!

Fighting caste discriminationThe life narratives, voices, and actual experiences on this website reflect the spiritual awakenings of personalities extraordinaire who desired to make a difference in the lives of others. The passion for social justice and meaningful activities, the dedication to compassion, the commitment and healing journeys of those ordinary individuals and their stirring stories is what we intend to showcase.